As Tigers manager Jim Leyland puts it, you either play good enough or you don't. So far, his team has played well enough to lead the AL Central Division by four games not well enough to put away the Minnesota Twins, who host Detroit in a three-game series beginning Friday.

Sports Weekly continues its season-long series of Q&As with bloggers who cover teams in the news. This week, we check in on the Pittsburgh Pirates, who recently traded outfielder Xavier Nady and left-handed pitcher Damaso Marte to the New York Yankees for prospects.

J.J. Hardy says he's still learning. Prince Fielder says he's not even using his brain. Together, the duo controls the fate of the Milwaukee Brewers. Fielder set a franchise record with his 13th homer this month, Hardy drove in two runs -- including the go-ahead tally in the eighth -- and the NL Central-leading Brewers beat the Florida Marlins 4-3 Thursday night.

The 25 free agents who were offered salary arbitration Friday and the 114 who were not. Players offered arbitration have until Dec. 7 to accept (x-has agreed to terms of a contract with Houston that has not been finalized):

Houston teammates Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte filed for free agency Monday, still unsure whether they want to pitch next year. Clemens said he planned to retire after the 2003, 2004 and 2005 seasons, but came back each time to sign with his hometown Houston Astros. Pettitte, Clemens' close friend and Texas neighbor, had left the New York Yankees after the 2003 season to sign with the Astros.

With six days remaining to the July 31 non-waiver trading deadline, marquee players such as Alfonso Soriano of the Washington Nationals, Carlos Lee of the Brewers and Bobby Abreu of the Phillies are attracting most of the fans' fascination, Hoiwever, GMs seem to be focusing their attention on relievers.